. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . pe-cially in the determining of altitudes, would be well prepared for their duties till they hadmade some hundred miles, nor that in other respects the scale of operations and the characterof the work would be definitely fixed, looking always to the fact that the expedition was toreach its destination the present season. And it was fortunate that for this distance our routelay through a country generally open, and where there was no spec
. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . pe-cially in the determining of altitudes, would be well prepared for their duties till they hadmade some hundred miles, nor that in other respects the scale of operations and the characterof the work would be definitely fixed, looking always to the fact that the expedition was toreach its destination the present season. And it was fortunate that for this distance our routelay through a country generally open, and where there was no special difficulties in the way ofrailroad practicability. Lieutenant Du Barry left the camp about two oclock with the main train, and I remainedbehind with the observers till the next day. The arrangements thus made left me free either to be with the advance parties or with thetrain, or to make personal examinations of important features of-the country off the lines of thetrail. June 16.—Proceeding with the remainder of the camp, three miles from Camp Davis wepassed through a belt of woods for two miles, where the flies were excessively annoying, perse-. NARRATIVE OF 1853. 45 cuting our animals so that it was hard to keep them in the road, as they constantly attemptedto rush into the bushes. The country to Cold spring has a rich alluvial soil, with scatteredgroves of timber. It is mostly a level prairie, occasionally broken by a small stream, andexcellent for agricultural purposes. Cold spring is a stream of most beautifully limpid cold water, about ten feet wide and sixor eight inches deep. The train and parties passing over it had made the crossing practicable,and our small party experienced no delay, but pushed on and overtook Lieutenant Du Barry atCold stream, who, not being able to cross the Sauk to-night, encamped about four oclock onthe east side of the river. The crossing of Cold stream by the main party was effected withconsiderable delay and much hard work. Before comi
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